With two CITGO Bassmaster Tour tournaments down and four to go, Arizona's Andre Moore is making a strong push toward claiming the coveted Toyota Rookie of Year Award and the $10,000 that goes with it.
After finishing 14th and 11th in the opening Florida events, Moore is leading the pack, and everything is going according to plan.
"I was thinking about the Rookie of the Year Award before the season started," Moore said. "I saw where [Greg] Hackney came out and did it last year, and I thought that would be pretty cool. When I had the opportunity to fish the Tour, it definitely became a goal. I'm trying for it!
"There are still four more tournaments and a lot of bass to catch, but I'm feeling pretty confident. I think I'm fishing really well right now. I think it's obtainable."
Not only is Moore first in the Rookie of the Year race, but he's also fifth in Angler of the Year points. When Greg Hackney took last season's Rookie of the Year Award, he finished second in the CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year race, narrowly losing out to Gerald Swindle.
Moore might have had an edge over most of the other rookies in the Florida tournaments since he was born in Boca Raton and spent nearly every summer of his youth living at his grandmother's house in Stuart, where he fished daily.
He's had considerable success on a rival bass circuit, but making his mark on the Bassmaster Tour is now his main focus.
"Everybody knows that if you're going to make a name for yourself you have to do it on the Bassmaster Tour," Moore said.
Rounding out the top five in the Rookie of the Year standings are Pennsylvania's Dave Wolak, Arkansas' Chip Hawkins, California's Greg Gutierrez and Florida's Preston Clark.
Advertising